The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud

The Sentimentalists

Johanna Skibsrud

The nameless narrator puts the spotlight on her father - a recovering alcoholic scarred by his experiences in Vietnam. The horrors of war are offset by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness in which they seek solace. The relationship between father and daughter is a moving one, at times distant, at others tender, and I was emphatic of the inherent sadness felt by these two sorrowful characters.

Extract
For the first time in a long time, then, it felt uncomplicated. It was just love, after all, that I felt for my father, and that wasn't so hard.
Parallels
  • The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
  • Platoon by Dale A Dye